After 4 decades of serving Oakland, Bishop Bob Jackson not slowing down
OAKLAND – Bishop Bob Jackson, the co-founder of Acts Full Gospel Church in Oakland, was an unlikely preacher.
"I didn't grow up in the church, I grew up in the street. I grew up being a thug and a criminal. They used to call me 'Dirty Red'," Jackson recalled.
He said when he was young, he was a drug user, an alcoholic, and even spent time in a military jail for fighting. Jackson keeps a picture of himself in his 20s in his office to remind himself to stay grounded.
"This guy was part of the problem in the city. And now, God has blessed me to be a part of the solution," said Jackson as he pointed at the picture.
Jackson credited his faith for his transformation. He became a Christian at 31 years old. Seven years later, in 1984, he and his wife opened a small church with 13 members.
Today, Acts Full Gospel is the biggest church in Oakland, with close to 4,000 members.
His story could've ended there, but he said God had bigger plans for him. About 15 years ago, he noticed a troubling trend.
"Members of our church began to leave like the city was on fire," said Jackson. "It's almost impossible for them to live here. Many of them have moved out of Oakland. There's been a tremendous Black flight."
The housing crisis turned the preacher into a builder.
"No thought in my mind that I would ever be doing anything like I'm doing," said Jackson.
In 2016, Acts partnered with the city and developers to break ground on their first affordable housing complex at 9400 International Boulevard in East Oakland. Families moved into the 59-unit complex the next year.
Across the street from the first building, they're about finish their second low-incoming housing complex with 55 units.
"Five-thousand-five-hundred people applied for this (new building), 6,500 applied for (the previous building). That shows you the need for affordable housing," said Jackson.
The bishop has long expanded Acts' impact beyond its four walls.
About 30 years ago, he started the Men of Valor Academy at their old church site. The intervention program aims to reduce gun violence and recidivism.
"Since I've been coming to Men of Valor, I haven't been brought back to jail, thank God. But I still have some developmental skills that I need to learn for working, like how to keep a job and how to talk to people," said Anthony Ward, a program participant at Men of Valor.
Today, the program has 68 formerly incarcerated men. They live in dorms, attend life-skill classes, and learn different trades through on-site job training.
"They feed me three times a day, I have somewhere to shower. They have excellent employees here to help for job resources and help with job placements," said David Walker, a program participant at Men of Valor.
Bishop Jackson also helped launch Oakland's O.K. Program, which mentors a couple of hundred Black youth. Oakland Police officers serve as program coordinators and work with students to improve their grades and break down fears of law enforcement.
"Walk them through their education, keeping them in school, giving them the clothes, the shoes, whatever they need to stay in school," said Jackson.
A few months ago, President Joe Biden recognized Bishop Jackson with one of highest civilian honors, the President's Lifetime Achievement Award.
"It's the largest thing ever happened to me in my life. I'm still pinching myself," smiled Jackson.
At 77-years-old, he's planning his next big project.
"You'll be able to get everything you need to get your feet back on the ground," said Jackson as he pointed at a building his church recently purchased.
He intends to turn a large property at the corner of International Boulevard and 73rd Avenue into a one-stop homeless shelter. From transitional housing, to substance abuse treatment, to job training.
"God is not telling me to slow down, there's still work to do," said Bishop Jackson.
A lifetime of preaching and service with a focus on the Black community.
